Is anyone else watching this “presidential news conference?” The president is getting killed by reporters. Did they switch the seating chart on him? I think he’s wearing make up.
Same old same old. But people are buying it less and less.
Support for Bush’s proposal to add private accounts to the Social Security dropped to 45 percent from 56 percent in mid-March, according the latest Washington Post-ABC News poll published on Tuesday.
Fifty-one percent now oppose the accounts, up from 41 percent in March.
Bush’s overall job approval rating was 47 percent, matching his all-time low in Washington Post-ABC News polls, while half disapproved of his performance.
The president’s ratings on other major issues were at or near new lows, the poll found. Less than half of respondents supported Bush’s handling of the economy, energy policy and Iraq.
– Reuters
And I think that Americans disapprove of the job he’s doing because they disapporove of him as president.
ruby,
i’m not sure how much faith we should invest in polls, when you consider that who you ask and what you ask can generate whatever answer you desire…
Here’s a poll that shows the exact opposite of the poll you mentioned:
A proposal has been made that
would allow workers to invest Social
Security payroll taxes into personal
accounts so that they could help provide
for their own retirement needs. Do you
favor or oppose this proposal?
53%/Favor
36%/Oppose
11%/Not sure
and here’s another:
Do you favor or oppose
giving individuals the choice to invest a
portion of their Social Security
contributions in stocks or mutual funds?
Favor Oppose Not Sure
29-30 Mar 05 60% 28 12
Age under 30 76% 16 9
30-45 65% 24 10
46-55 54% 33 13
Age under 55 64% 26 11
Over age 55 56% 31 14
The answer on Social Secutiy is simple … it’s not in the trouble that Bush is claiming — not at all. I have some inside info on this — my stepmother is a leading actuary and advises the administration on Social Security. The real deal is, raise the retirement age about two years and institute means testing and you’ve fixed it. Private accounts will NOT fix it and may, to the contrary, cost a fortune. See http://www.actuary.org/socsec.htm for details.
Jean, it sounds like social security doesn’t have any problems that a tax hike and a benefits cut won’t fix?
Steve, I guess that’s true, but a benefits cut is especially unecessary. It’s more like an it’s-about-time adjustment. When SS was begun, life expectancy was MUCH lower and the system was epxected to maybe pay out for .. what .. 5-10 years? Assuming a 65 retirement now might mean 20-25 years of payout. Upping the retirement age from 67 (where it is now) to 69 or 70 for those retiring in 20 years is nearly enough to fix the whole damn thing. Those making over $90K will probably not mind having all their income subject to FICA to secure the system. It needs tweaking, not “reform.”
Of course, if Bush were to come clean about that, he would be less able to get more young Americans (or future Republicans as he probably calls them) into the stock market. To listen to him, you’d thing there was just no other way to accomplish that. He just wants the Congress to let him write a check for more red ink to get the SS system into the market, bringing gigantic amounts of capital with it … all to the good for his buddies — the captains of industry.
Boy, this really is a rant!
Still, i like the idea that low income workers would be able to accumulate money that would belong to them and that they could pass on thier children or grandchildren and not have that money just thrown back into the pot. money like that could really change a lot of lives for the better!